Aftermath Islands Metaverse First to Deploy Blockchain Proof of Humanity by Liquid Avatar to Create Safer, Private Online Experience and Eliminate Usernames and Passwords

Georgetown, Barbados / Toronto, Canada, October 19, 2022 - Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited, a controlled subsidiary of Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc, is the first organization to deploy blockchain-based verifiable credentials to provide Proof of Humanity assurances and allow users to establish a digital footprint that proves they are a genuine individual without having to divulge sensitive government-issued identity or proof of address, creating a high degree of trust or privacy in the Web3 world by establishing one-user, one-account verification.

This system has the opportunity to play a much larger role in the emerging Metaverse ecosystem supporting interoperability, reduction of fraud and instances of cyber bullying, and potentially creating more effective and efficient business interactions for marketing and engagement. It also eliminates the need for username and passwords, using verified biometric instead.
Powered by the Liquid Avatar Mobile App, available in most regions around the world, in the Apple App Store and Google Play, with an expanding global footprint, users can easily create an account and use likeness, device and age verification to establish an individual blockchain-based verifiable credential using W3C principles to create a Meta Park Pass™. The Meta Park Pass™ can then be presented to Aftermath Islands’ free Play-to-Earn game, Lost Kingdom of T’Sara, to play within the platform without establishing a traditional username and password. Aftermath Islands will also deploy the Meta Park Pass™ verifiable credential to access its Metaverse and other online programs as they become available.

Throughout the evolution of the Internet, both individuals and businesses have had great difficulty in establishing trust-based relationships and verification. US Federal Trade Commission data shows that consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion to fraud in 2021, an increase of more than 70 percent over the previous year. A study released in July 2022 from Juniper Research, found that the cumulative merchant losses to online payment fraud globally between 2023 and 2027 will exceed $343 billion. In August this year, ECT News Network reported that one in three U.S. social media users has multiple accounts on various platforms, based on a survey of 1,500 U.S. social media users conducted by USCasinos.com. Of those with multiple accounts, nearly half (48%) have two or more additional accounts. According to CBS, major social media networks took down over 1.4 billion fake accounts last year.
The Liquid Avatar Mobile App and Meta Park Pass™ challenge conventional online wisdom that allows individuals and entities to create multiple user accounts, potentially leading to predatory practices and cyberbullying, aimed towards children and seniors, and fake accounts that pump up user stats inside a platform. This system works to solve these issues for users and marketers by providing assurances that everyone in an online environment is a “real” person with 1 user only allowed 1 account, potentially increasing transparency and confidence to online communities. Aftermath Islands Metaverse and Lost Kingdom of T’Sara are the first platforms to use this technology, which can be easily deployed to other online games, websites, social media, and eCommerce platforms.

The Liquid Avatar Mobile App and Meta Park Pass™ represents a huge step forward for the digital identity and Metaverse spaces to reduce, reverse and potentially eliminate negative trends by using blockchain technologies. Without a unique digital footprints for individual users, existing new platforms can suffer the same issues of fraud, identity theft and restricted value capture by platform participants that have long plagued a wide range of other industries, from finance and healthcare to insurance, education, and more.
Aftermath Islands will use the Liquid Avatar Mobile App to create additional credentials for exclusive access to events where KYC (Know Your Customer) is required, and new and emerging opportunities in online education, business, gaming and other activities where proof of humanity and identity are required.

According to David Lucatch, Managing Director of Aftermath Islands Metaverse: “Aftermath Islands is excited to be the first organization to deploy Proof of Humanity and enhance value with real people, while eliminating the issues that plague usernames and passwords, effectively creating a one-user, one-account system. With Web3 and the Metaverse, we have an opportunity to change the failures of previous iterations of the Internet that failed to provide protection for privacy and data and assurances that only real people exist in an online space. We would never accept this kind of behavior in the real world and we now have the opportunity to create safe and unique spaces that support digital footprints and all types of interactions between people, business and other parties.”

RJ Reiser, Chief Information Officer of Liquid Avatar Technologies added: “Liquid Avatar’s app allows users to control what they share, when they share and how they share, allowing them to manage, control and benefit from the use of their digital footprint using the Meta Park Pass™ and other blockchain-based to verifiable credentials. The system also includes features to create verifiable credentials and verify them, creating and supporting identity without the need of usernames and passwords. By combining these digital identifiers for participants and players on our platforms and within the growing constellation of digital offerings and virtual platforms coming up around the world, we make it easier for platforms and players to control their data and secure their privacy wherever they operate – virtually or in real life.”
Proof of Humanity offers similar services and promises to herald a new era in which we no longer rely on centralized forms of ID (such as those provided by governments or institutions) for verification or access to services and create assurances that everyone in an ecosystem is a real person. By using blockchain-based verifiable credentials systems can assure that one user has only one account.

Proof of Humanity is creating a verified database of unique registrants. When combined with solutions such as those provided by Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc. and first offered by Aftermath Islands Metaverse, these offerings open a wide range of new use cases in multiple domains across virtual and Metaverse experiences, as well as at the intersections of the real and online worlds. These include online gaming, cashing out funds from online wallets, and obtaining real-world services using digital footprint.
To review a demo of the Liquid Avatar Mobile App and the Meta Park Pass™, please visit Liquid Avatar’s Youtube page.

About Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited

Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited is a Barbados corporation that is 50% owned and is controlled by Oasis Digital Studios Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc (CSE:LQID / OTC: LQAVF / FRA: 4T51. Aftermath Island Token Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aftermath Islands Metaverse Limited, is a British Virgin Islands corporation
Aftermath Islands Metaverse is an open-world, realistic graphic virtual world where users can buy, develop, trade, and sell Virtual Land (VL), property, and items using in-game collectible NFTs. From play-to-earn games to online experiences, collaboration, immersive entertainment, and more, Aftermath Islands brings live streaming, high-definition graphics, exemplary interactivity, real-world mechanics, and countless new services and experiences to players all around the world. The platform is built on the philosophy of decentralization and economic inclusivity and promises to provide captivating experiences that allow people around the world to earn their way into virtual land ownership.
Learn about Aftermath Islands’ virtual worlds here and read about how the project is reimagining Metaverse experiences in the future in the project light paper and sizzle reel.

Media contact:

Robert Penington
Robert@thronepr.com

Metaverse To Target 3 Key Destinations, Unity Says

Post orginally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here: http://immerseglobalsummit.com,

Senior representatives have joined many others at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe to discuss conceptualised roadmaps to the Metaverse, the successor to the Internet that merges connectivity and spatial communications, it was revealed on Wednesday.

John A Cunningham, Head of Government and Aerospace at Unity Technologies, delivered his keynote speech exploring the concept at the event, which gathered roughly 500 businesses, analysts, media partners, and executives at the sunny destination of Madeira Island, Portugal.

According to the high-level executive, the Metaverse would become the “next step in the evolution of the Internet” and would lead to “more breathtaking experiences” that differed from current experiences.

Most companies and people with current websites would have “Metaverse-like destinations” in the future, he said, adding that, according to Unity, would result in three primary categories.

Three Categories of Metaverse Destinations

Digital destinations were sites with 100 percent digital metaverses such as Fortnite, Roblox, and VR Chat, among others. Additional virtual spaces would include social and educations Metaverses as well, he explained, adding the film industry would “also move into these digital environments.”

Explaining further, the President of the VRARA Central Florida Chapter said,

“Many of tomorrow’s concerts will sometimes be 100 percent digital experiences, where there is no real-world parallel”

Digital twins also allowed users to try-on clothing with augmented reality (AR) technologies. People can use AR for “trying on a Gucci shirt [or] running a manufacturing line for a manufacturer [or] controlling a smart city or a power plant,” to bridge the real and digital world as digital twins, he said.

World augmentation would augment and reflect images and data via overlays on the real world. Companies such as Jet Propulsion Labs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration had leveraged Unity Technologies’ gaming engine to visualise and design Mars Rovers for technicians.

He continued, explaining that doctors had also tapped AR technologies to perform surgeries with new technologies and devices such as Magic Leap’s headsets, leading to “a whole new world of possibilities we’re not even aware of yet.”

The ‘New World’ of Immersive Reality

Cunningham concluded his speech, stating the Metaverse would be “always in real-time,” which is the foundation for Metaverse destinations.

He told audiences at the event,

“So whether you are using digital twins operate a big factory or working collaboratively to design a house, doing so together interactively is often better […] You can try on that suit, or sunglasses, or these new pair of shoes with your friends, right in your own room in your house and connected around the world [without having] to fight for parking”

Developers will also create “killer apps” such as contextual app launchers that would “thrive in the Metaverse.” Apps would allow users with smart glasses to check availability at restaurants, showcase architectural designs, and others with nearly unlimited applications.

Concluding, he said that the Metaverse would become “more than just a singular place visited by your universal avatar in VR goggles.”

He said,

“Whether you’re an architect or a small retailer, or a clothing designer, or you direct movies, whether you move furniture, run physical stadiums, or you lead a rock band, or you make high end luxury goods, it’s time to think very deeply about the coming Metaverse and how you will play and succeed in this new world”

The IGS 2022 Europe is taking place from 28 to 30 and aims to rally the global tech community for numerous keynote speeches, product updates, panels talks, and workshops.

The event will see representatives from some of the world’s top tech firms, including Google, Magic Leap, Deutsche Telekom, Adidas, Lenovo, VirtualWare, and many others at the three-day event.

Orlando Economic Partnership Unveils First-of-its-Scale Regional Digital Twin

Post originally appearing on floridanationalnews.com.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando Economic Partnership CEO Tim Giuliani and otehr community leaders cut the ribbon to unveil OEP's regional digital twin. Photo: Orlando Economic Partnership.

ORLANDO, Fla.– The Orlando Economic Partnership, along with Unity (NYSE: U), the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, unveiled a first-of-its-kind digital twin that showcases the entire Orlando region. Operational for the first time, the brand-new 3D technology maps 800 square miles of the region and 40 square miles in high-fidelity, including Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties which makes it the first large regional digital twin in use by an economic development organization.

Digital twins are dynamic virtual copies of physical assets, processes, systems and/or environments that look and behave identically to real-world counterparts. Orlando’s digital twin is essentially a virtual copy of the entire region with different data sets layered throughout.

Currently deployed in a digital marketing center at the Partnership’s new headquarters in downtown Orlando, with an online version set for launch in phase II of the project, the digital twin incorporates various data sets from multiple sources, allowing companies, local governments, and nonprofits to visualize how plans will impact the region. By aggregating public and private sources of information, the digital twin serves as a critical resource for all decision makers in the area, making the technology a vital piece of Orlando’s future.

“The Digital Twin technology and capabilities truly exemplify why Orlando has been designated the MetaCenter of the Metaverse,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Using this technology, Orlando has the ability to demonstrate to established companies, start-ups, entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the globe the possibilities available to them in our city – from real estate options and infrastructure to the proximity of other like-minded companies and our diverse talent pool.”

ORLANDO, Fla.– The Orlando Economic Partnership, along with Unity (NYSE: U), the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, unveiled a first-of-its-kind digital twin that showcases the entire Orlando region. Operational for the first time, the brand-new 3D technology maps 800 square miles of the region and 40 square miles in high-fidelity, including Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties which makes it the first large regional digital twin in use by an economic development organization.

Digital twins are dynamic virtual copies of physical assets, processes, systems and/or environments that look and behave identically to real-world counterparts. Orlando’s digital twin is essentially a virtual copy of the entire region with different data sets layered throughout.

Currently deployed in a digital marketing center at the Partnership’s new headquarters in downtown Orlando, with an online version set for launch in phase II of the project, the digital twin incorporates various data sets from multiple sources, allowing companies, local governments, and nonprofits to visualize how plans will impact the region. By aggregating public and private sources of information, the digital twin serves as a critical resource for all decision makers in the area, making the technology a vital piece of Orlando’s future.

“The Digital Twin technology and capabilities truly exemplify why Orlando has been designated the MetaCenter of the Metaverse,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Using this technology, Orlando has the ability to demonstrate to established companies, start-ups, entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the globe the possibilities available to them in our city – from real estate options and infrastructure to the proximity of other like-minded companies and our diverse talent pool.”

While other cities’ digital twins have singular applications for smaller areas, the technology for the Orlando region will have nearly unlimited uses. For economic development, the Partnership will show site selectors and CEOs available land and real estate, as well as areas of interest for different industries, infrastructure connectivity and talent availability all while saving drive time.

“Orlando is one of the world’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems and this immersive digital twin further proves our position as a region leading the development of forward-thinking tools that enhance the experience of economic development,” said Partnership President and CEO Tim Giuliani. “This is a game changer that highlights Orlando’s unique value proposition and people from around the U.S. and the globe will want to come here to see how it works.”

The Partnership chose to partner with Unity based on the company’s extensive leadership in gaming, government solutions and its experience building digital twins for other well known organizations.

“We’re honored to be collaborating with the Orlando Economic Partnership on this ‘first of a kind’ regional digital twin of this size and scale,” said Callan Carpenter, Vice President Digital Twin Solutions at Unity.”We hope it’ll help companies to better plan for expansion in the future and map out new transit routes to connect Floridians with new jobs in the process.

The Partnership works to accelerate economic development and transform the region through advancing Broad-based Prosperity™ for all. Broad-based Prosperity™ allows businesses, community leaders and local governments to work together, strengthening Orlando’s economy and quality of life by solving shared regional challenges. The Partnership works one-on-one to attract and assist companies with relocations and expansions to continue Orlando’s rapid economic growth.

Lenovo Launches ThinkReality VRX Solution

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

XR Today's David Dungay hosts Jason McGuigan, Head of Commercial for Virtual Reality for Lenovo at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe.

In this session, we discuss the following:

1) Details surrounding Lenovo’s latest ThinkReality VRX solution
2) Use cases for the new platform and how it empowers enterprises
3) The company’s views on the Metaverse and what’s to come

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit Lenovo at their company website.

VNCCII Debates Web3 Creativity at IGS 2022 Europ

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

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Digital content creation has led to many questions over the distribution of wealth for artists and companies working in the future Metaverse, with current technologies requiring clear definitions for paying creatives and promoting immersive artworks across the rising spatial communications platform.

Speakers included Sami Tauber, Founder, Multimedia Artist, and Chief Metaverse Officer for VNCCII, João Miguel Caldeira Monsanto Fonseca, Chief Executive for LarM Publicidade, and Pip Brignall, Co-Founder and Chief Comms Officer for The Round.

Maxim Jago, London-based Futurist, Keynote Speaker, and Founder of the Creativity Conference moderated the panel discussion on the future of creative artists in the Metaverse.

The Art of (Content) Creation

When asked about specific barriers to entry to content and NFT creation, Tauber explained that creators would need more education accessibility, adding the state of the music industry would shift dramatically.

She explained that she did not believe artists had much choice and needed to “educate themselves about web3 and the power of NFT smart contracts.”

She continued,

“It is a major unlock for how you can have this peer-to-peer relationship with your fans and your community. Traditionally with major record labels, they offer you in advance a million dollars and additionally, you’d make a few albums and have to recoup that cost. Then, obviously the pandemic happened and live touring floored for artists. So you know, all these models don’t really work”

She added that new technologies in the Metaverse and virtual performance experiences had rapidly grown, leading to a new concept that was “a bit nebulous” but eventually developed a “complex financial interplay” between tokenised fungibility, NFTs, and derivatives, among other incentives.

Explaining further, she said,

“It’s a whole new world because all of a sudden, we had co-creation in web2, but it’s still on a whole new stratosphere when we look at joint value creation in web3, and then the Metaverse because as you said, I’m the artist. I’ve got the seed idea and the seed intellectual property (IP) rights”

She explained her upcoming novel would feature her character VNCCII, with the online community as the population. Activating the immersive experience with the music and metaverse landscape in web3 could spark additional “financial incentives with derivatives as well, let alone the culture, which is what I really do for it, and the mission of elevating the consciousnesses of humanity” she told the audience.

Teamwork Makes a Cybersecurity Dream Work

When challenged about the potential security risks of NFTs, the Blockchain, Web3, and the Metaverse for artists, she said “it’s not perfect” and addressed hacking and data breach risks to the technologies.

 Artists unfamiliar with the technology could move to partnerships and stakeholders in the music industry to take on the role of a traditional label or manager to develop such tech stacks.

Relationships in the music industry would “redefine a little,” she said, adding,

“I don’t believe it’s about getting rid of the middlemen and agents, because you need a team, especially if you’re going to scale. In terms of job responsibilities, they’re going to shift a bit and the relationship [will become] more like artists [and] entrepreneurs in order to navigate this landscape. So [becoming] an entrepreneur is a risky pursuit, but you know, I think it’s worth it if you want to be at the forefront of innovation”

The Metaverse Has Got Talent

When asked about the longevity of an artist’s career on new platforms such as the Metaverse, Monsanto replied that all artists and great creators needed talent in terms of quality.

Reputation was important to build for artists of any medium, whether in architecture, writing, and fashion, among others, he explained to the panel.

“Recognition of the quality of someone is something that goes upstairs in any cases. I believe that nobody will be [left] out of the system because he’s growing up and creating new things. If [the artist] is really good, invested in his career, and is working to maintain his relationship with the quality and he has all these three… when they start [earning] their reputation, it is very difficult, but afterwards, I think there’s no problem”

He concluded that artists could rise and become great in any field, no matter the medium.

Metaverse Payment Plans?

Adding to the discussion, Brignall explore how the Metaverse would function with content creation, stating that artist would should avoid platform models similar to popular streaming services.

He continued that such platforms drained revenues “away from creators” rather than middlemen such as managers and A&R representatives, he said also

Speaking on the subject, he said,

“I think it needs to be rethought, and I think web3 offers us an opportunity to actually address that and put the value of the artwork and the artist’s work at the centre of our engagement with content”

The IGS 2022 Europe has gathered some of the global tech communities leading firms, including Google, Lenovo, PwC, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Meta Platforms, Qualcomm, and many others for a three-day event complete with roundtable discussions, workshops, networking luncheons, and technology showcases. Representatives, experts, and companies from around the world joined the VR/AR Association (VRARA) to outline the next stages of development for the Metaverse and web3 solutions.

Madara Kalnina-Kalnmale, Co-Founder of RedFrog, appointed as Chapter President for VRARA the Baltics

We are thrilled to welcome Madara Kalnina-Kalnmale as our new president for the VRARA Baltics chapter. For many years, Madara has been a part of AR/VR hardware company, leading a design from scratch to commercial product. She knows how to raise a capital in a start-up, create attention between corporates and now founded her own company RedFrog, succeeding within AR/VR industry. 

“It is my pleasure to join VRARA and start to unite AR/VR community also in the Baltics. Being so many years in a pure AR hardware company with a belief that outstanding hardware will fly has led me to an understanding that without killing applications, real added value and after all without users AR/VR will never fly. Re-phrasing this - without an ecosystem a broad uptake will never happen. So, I am joining the VRARA with a scope to create this ecosystem in the Baltics, unite entrepreneurs, developers, universities and users.”- Madara Kalnina-Kalnmale

Virtualware Offers Huge Updates at the IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com

XR Today's David Dungay hosts David Moreno, Chief Marketing Officer for Virtualware at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe in Madeira, Portugal. 

In this session we discuss the following:

1) Building standards in the extended reality (XR) industry and global ecosystem
2) Updates on Virtualware and its partnerships with numerous global XR manufacturers
3) The company’s work with the energy sector and other partnerships

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit their website.

i3 Joins the VR/AR Association, Brings Immersive Simulations and Training to the Unites States Armed Services

Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3), a technical solutions company headquartered in Huntsville, AL, has joined the Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality Association (VRARA). i3 specializes in Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI) Levels 0-4, in-game IMI, serious games, gamification, virtual operator and maintenance trainers, virtual reality, augmented reality, and mobile applications. i3 develops and maintains VR and AR training products for the US Army and Air Force and produces IMI for the Navy and Coast Guard. i3’s training and simulation products leverage highly accurate, digital twin assets to increase the speed and effectiveness of operator and maintainer training over the DoD’s more standard training material such as PDFs and PowerPoints. i3 developed the Virtual Reaper Suite (VRS) AR application, for example, that optimizes the student learning path through the MQ-9’s digital twin to remove aircraft and equipment limitations. In the same vein, i3 developed the Virtual Reality Simulated Delirium Environment to provide an immersive VR training environment for healthcare workers to experience the real-world effects of delirium. i3’s IMI and serious games are award-winning and widely recognized, with over seven different awards including Best Overall Award & People’s Choice Award for the 2021 I/ITSEC Iron Dev Competition, the world's largest modeling, simulation and training event. 

i3 recently expanded its geographic footprint by opening a permanent office in Orlando, FL.  “Orlando is a key geographic location known for its excellence in modeling, simulation, and training for the DoD. There are many exciting opportunities to work more closely with current and future customers, as well as establish key working relationships with other companies in the Orlando area — all of whose mindsets align perfectly with i3’s mission statement of ‘Growing People While Solving our Nation’s Toughest Problems’,” said CJ Jacobs, Chief Growth Officer of i3. “Orlando has a rich talent pool and is a hub for innovation, especially in the VR and AR domain. We are excited to be joining the VR/AR Association and look forward to engaging with other members of this growing community in both the Orlando and Huntsville areas,” continued Jacobs. i3’s participation in the Central Florida VRARA Chapter will lend itself to cross-chapter collaboration with Huntsville personnel and the forthcoming Huntsville VRARA chapter extension of the Central Florida Chapter.

“We are excited to have i3 join the VR/AR Association.  One of the goals of the Association is to provide support to our members to help them with their business goals and to connect them within the XR community both locally and around the globe and we look forward to supporting them in any way that we can. We are looking forward to i3's active participation and helping us launch the new Huntsville Chapter of the VR/AR Association,” said John Cunningham, Chapter President of the VRARA Central Florida Chapter.

About i3

i3 was founded in 2007 with the intent to do business differently. Our focus is to leave our team members and customers better than we found them — ultimately strengthening our Nation, our warfighter, and our company. From the beginning, our goal has been to create a culture that naturally produces growth by reminding people why they are relevant, that leadership matters, and that we can make a difference while making a living. Due to this philosophy and the hard work of our team members, we have experienced continuous growth since inception. In 2021 i3 became 100% team member owned. Visit https://i3-corps.com/i3-joins-the-vrara/ for more information.

Snapdragon Spaces Redefines XR at IGS Europe 2022

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rory Greener.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

Qualcomm’s extended reality (XR) software development ecosystem, Snapdragon Spaces, is gaining significant traction as a tool for professional-grade immersive content creation.

On Wednesday, Senior Director of Qualcomm’s Product and Partnership Team Martin Herdina hosted a keynote at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) Europe to highlight Snapdragon Spaces’ keys to successfully scaling XR solutions. Herdina previously worked at Clay AIR, a hand-tracking and spatial mapping technology firm Qualcomm acquired in 2021.

The Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) is hosting the IGS 2022 Europe from September 28 to 30 in Savoy Palace At Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, marking the VRARA’s return to in-person events in the EU, along with an accompanying online event portal for at-home attendees.

Investing in XR

According to Herdina, Qualcomm is heavily investing in XR’s foundational technologies such as passthrough, hand-tracking, and 3D reconstruction. Qualcomm provides insightful research and development (R&D) to optimize related XR technology for supported AR/VR devices.

Additionally, the multinational technology company applies its experience in designing smartphone components toward XR R&D. Qualcomm invests in reference XR devices like smartglasses or headsets, providing a “perfect blueprint” for building leading immersive experiences.

A key point of investment and energy for Qualcomm is its Snapdragon Spaces XR software development kit (SDK). Herdina noted that, over the past year, Snapdragon Spaces has moved from a developer-focused AR SDK, and the platform is now an ecosystem to engage with XR developers directly.

He explained that Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Spaces initiative puts developers first and feeds an XR design ecosystem via a series of investments.

Partners and Scaling XR

Qualcomm is working with XR partners and clients to scale its Snapdragon Spaces ecosystem to best suit vertical use cases.

Qualcomm is taking its knowledge of working with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators, but with a refocused approach specifically for XR so the firm get closer to developers to ensure client success.

One of Qualcomm’s OEM partners is Lenovo, working with the firm to collect design feedback and trial the Snapdragon spaces SDK to ensure inoperable application optimization.

He added that working with operators like T Mobile and Telefónica enables Qualcomm to scale XR software. The Senior Director said that operators are key because “they understand the end users much better than we do.”

During the session, Herdina explained that Qualcomm would update the Snapdragon Spaces SDK roughly every six weeks based on developer and community feedback, allowing the firm to deploy an XR design platform suitable for all immersive content development.

The Snapdragon team also communicates with end customers daily to understand the emerging role of enterprise XR and where the technology can provide business value.

The executive explains that Qualcomm employs a strategy of talking directly to partners and providing developers with resources, integrated growth, and investment. The firm is also scaling its internal XR team in regions such as North America, Europe, India, and China.

Snapdragon Spaces for Universal Immersive Design

Herdina continued the keynote, noting how Qualcomm designed Snapdragon Spaces as an open, universal SDK, adding,

“What’s important to state is, Snapdragon Spaces is not designed for a specific vertical, it’s universal”

Snapdragon Spaces is an openXR ecosystem, meaning Qualcomm contributes to an openXR standard. The firm is also part of the Khronos Group, that champions openXR standards and practices.

Qualcomm also works with real-time 3D (RT3D) engine providers like Epic and Unity to distribute openXR plugins on each platform and encourage inoperable immersive design.

What’s Next?

The Snapdragon Spaces team looks to continue its upward trajectory by working with its OEM, operator, and developer client list for direct access to XR innovation.

Qualcomm will also continue its investment in its developer community through its Pathfinder programme, which funds startups working on Snapdragon Spaces.

Qualcomm provides immersive developers with lesser capital to motivate and incentivize startups to participate in other networking and funding opportunities via its Pathfinder programme.

Additionally, next week Qualcomm will announce a line-up of 30 new startups joining its Metaverse fund to support developers creating boundary-pushing immersive experiences.

Didimo $7.1M Series A Raise Brings World’s Fastest, Realistic Human Digital Twins to Games, Retail, Metaverses

Didimo, the leader in high-quality digital human avatars, announces a $7.15M Series A round to bring incomparable speed, quality, and scalability to game studios and businesses so they can literally put you inside games, retail experiences, and so much more. Their proprietary cloud-based platform operates at runtime and is significantly more cost-effective for companies. Creating an accurate digital twin usually takes days of effort; Didimo cuts that to about 60 seconds.

The funding round, led by Armilar Venture Partners, with participation of Bright Pixel Capital, Portugal Ventures, and Techstars, enables Didimo to expand its best-in-class approach which simplifies what is typically a heavily complex and expensive 3D avatar creation process into one single step. The proprietary, AI-based system has earned 3 patents for the unique use of computer graphics, computer vision and deep learning technologies and the ability to serve highly detailed files quickly and easily. This makes it possible for businesses of all kinds to turn a customer’s selfie into a 3D digital version of that person in just seconds – something that could not be achieved before Didimo – and offer immersive, personalized experiences.

“Didimo’s mission has always been to make the digital world more human by bringing the richness of emotional expression and personalization to experiences,” says Didimo founder, CEO Verónica Orvalho. “We can empower people to do naturally in digital spaces what they do in the real world, like try on clothes, pick up and explore products, compete in a game or entertain their friends. Our technology means people engage with computing in more human and authentic ways.” Current Didimo customers and partners include NOS Communications, Ceek, Soleil Game Studios, Sony, Grenoble Ecole du Management, tagSpace, Valaclava, Atom Stars, Unstitched and more.

Auki Labs Exec Discusses AR Privacy at IGS 2022

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rory Greener.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

Augmented Reality (AR) privacy will be a big issue very soon, Johannes Davidsson, the Head of Business Development at Auki Labs, said on Thursday at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 in Madeira, Portugal.

Davidsson took centre stage at Summit to explore how Auki Labs approaches emerging security concerns led by immersive hardware like smart glasses and virtual reality (VR) headsets.

The Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) is hosting IGS 2022 between September 28 to 30 in Savoy Palace At Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal.

Auki Labs is an immersive technology firm designing a collaborative spatial computing platform that creates highly-accurate peer-to-peer positioning frameworks to support shared AR experiences for smartphones, VR headsets, and smart glasses.

The firm uses hardware like the iPhone’s powerful SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) technology to accurately and securely track a device’s positioning without impeding user privacy.

Auki Labs are experts in shared AR experiences, although the firm recognises emerging security concerns stemming from always-on tracking cameras.

Transforming Security to Emerging Immersive Technology

At the event, Davidsson explained that soon people would have cameras on their faces at all times, adding,

“I have spoken to a lot of women who just don’t like the fact they will be filmed all the time”

Following this comment, Davidsson explained that emerging eye-tracking technology on upcoming VR headsets could even track pupil dilation to monitor a user’s focus.

Auki Labs is dedicating serious consideration to AR and VR privacy. Davidsson maintains that Auki Labs will never operate in what Davidsson calls surveillance capitalism.

Auki Labs is developing a new immersive security solution to improve the future of XR privacy. The firm’s latest solution is a decentralised network for broadcasting messages.

Users can set up a private server on their home computer or router, enabling an individual to be part of a decentralised network where Auki Labs processes positioning calculations securely on a private network.

What is ConjureKit?

Davidsson also used his stage time to introduce Auki Labs’ ConjureKit, an AR software development kit (SDK), this Friday, enabling immersive content creators to design shared experiences on Unity.

In an accompanying video showcase, Nils Pihl, the CEO & Founder of Auki Labs, introduced ConjureKit in a tech demo. During the featured showcase, Pihl used a sister toolkit from Matterless called Floor Craft, enabling users to spawn interactable AR assets.

Any application built using ConjureKit allows end users to invite others into their experience via a QR code. Once another user joins, the host can place new AR assets within each other’s environment to enjoy immersive online experiences.

Auki Labs calls its connective user tools “Instant Calibration.” Starting this Friday, interested individuals can download the ConjureKit SDK for Unity to build shared AR experiences.

The CEO notes that while his firm showcased an AR gaming experience, immersive content creators can useConjureKit for anything, hinting at marketing and enterprise use cases.

XR to Retell Tale of Saudi Arabia, Midwam CEO Says

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

Midwam, an experience design company from Saudi Arabia, joined the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe on Thursday to discuss how the Middle Eastern nation facilitated digital storytelling by tapping innovative, immersive technologies.

Khalid al-Muawad, Company Co-Founder and Chief Executive, spoke in a keynote speech at the event in Madeira Island, Portugal about how his enterprise designs and tailors bespoke immersive experiences for some of the world’s top organisations and institutions.

He explained in his keynote speech how extended reality (XR) firms could reshape businesses across verticals, including education, healthcare, and others to engage customers and incorporate emerging technologies.

Speaking to audiences, he stated how immersive experiences could act as a huge catalyst, adding human-centric interactive technologies could offer cutting-edge solutions and unforgettable memories for users.

Sectors that could greatly benefit from such technologies included the global entertainment and tourism industries by driving diversity in the global economy, he said.

Ahead of the IGS 2022 Europe, he said in a statement,

“The digital revolution has disrupted and changed the way the public engages with events and destinations at home and abroad”

He added he was “delighted” to join the Summit with other major tech firms, namely as “companies look to the next phase of business development ” by adopting immersive solutions to engage with customers.

Call for a Human-Centric History

In his keynote speech, Al-Muawad outlined to audiences that maximum engagement for retail and supermarket adverts was roughly six to nine seconds, but immersive experiences could boost figures to “minutes, not seconds,” which he said was a “revolution when it comes to the business impact.”

He explained that his homeland of Saudi Arabia had been perceived by many as a nation of “camels and oil,” prompting leaders in Riyadh and around the country to “take a call for action and go digital” with engaging experiences and stories.

The creative content and experiences were later exported to the United States, United Kingdom, and France at national museums in the respective countries.

Doing so required a “human-centric approach” by designing experiences, stories, and content, using a bespoke journey where audiences could experience what the country had to offer, including tourism, heritage, culture, and history, among others.

Speaking on Saudi’s numerous UNESCO heritage sites, he said,

“We’ve also explored and experienced culture within an immersive setup and experience. We’re talking about that setup of 400 by 500 square metre of a space that you turn into an immersive experience with the right digital layout and content. […] We were capable of designing an immersive experience that took people from where we were, like a time-lapsed experience, [to] where we were 20 years ago”

The immersive experience was successful as Midwam could measure engagement and behaviours with the content, leading many to greater interest and visa requests to visit the country.

“I would see someone getting into an experience and coming out crying just because they never expected to see such a thing, and I’ve seen someone come out extremely happy and motivated, feeling that power of ambition that place had”

Saudi Arabia Transforms as Global Metaverse Hub

His speech comes amid the country’s massive shift to emerging technologies as outlined in its Vision 2030 plan, which aims to reach targets in artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, construction, and others, as proposed by HRH Prince Mohammad bin Salman and his government.

Additional measures to boost its technological footprint include efforts from the nation’s Ithra Center, which launched its Creative Solutions accelerator programme with support from some of the top tech leadership in the United Kingdom.

The boot camp develops cohorts of immersive storytellers, many of who have used Unity Technology’s gaming engine and Meta Quest headsets for VR experiences in storytelling, science, and history.

Call for Sponsors for VRARA Vancouver Event

The VRARA Vancouver Chapter is hard at work preparing a incredible event for their area, and are looking for sponsors. Email info@thevrara.com today to learn more!

From the chapter staff:

This will be a VIP session where industry leaders on the West Coast visualize the "art of the possible". XR industry leading professionals from Intergalatic (nominated for top 100 metaverse companies in the world) as well as the Departure Lounge (North America's most advanced vol capture studio and also in the top 100 metaverse companies). We have spent some time to ideate what this experience could look like. In order for our teams to collaborate and build this custom activation, we need some funding to cover the talent and the equipment.

Our goal is to educate these VIPs of the "art of the possible" with the XR tech. Here is the experience as we envision it:

We will install a physical frame outside the DL facilities. Upon scanning this install, people will be immersed in WebAR experiences where they can swipe between. The goal is to appeal to a large variety of industries so from a yoga storefront to a car manufacturing facility. The experience will be interactive so they can possibly take photos with elements inside. The entrance will get attendees excited about what is inside...

The attendees will then enter the DL vocap facilities On the stage, our Chapter President (Sarah) will be having a discussion about applications of VR/AR and VoCap and she will be surrounded by/interacting with a Vocap asset double of herself on various LED screen, Projection and WebAR forms. For the AR asset, there will be an interactive element to this experience where attendees can increase or decrease Sarah's size, etc . Then Sara's double will exit the vocap stage in WebAR to a station. In that station, there will be a VR headset and you can see her within an experience that showcases the vocap captured stage...so basically everything goes from the stage to inside the VR headset.

If you are interesting in sponsoring this event, please email info@thevrara.com.

Cleanbox Shares Rapid VR Cleaning Tech at IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com.

XR Today's David Dungay hosts Amy Hedrick, CEO and Co-Founder at Cleanbox Technology, at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe in Madeira, Portugal.

In this session, we discuss the following:

1) How Cleanbox provides enterprises with rapid headset cleaning solutions
2) The Cleanbox solution and specifications for cleaning head-mounted displays (HMDs)
3) Thoughts on the IGS 2022 Europe and its significance for the tech industry

If you’re looking for more information on this topic visit Cleanbox Technology at https://cleanboxtech.com/

ORamaVR, the leader in medical virtual reality (VR) training tools, raises 2.4M EUR in their post-seed funding round.

The lack of access to affordable surgical care today has created a major health crisis  currently affecting almost 5 billion people globally. The World Health Organization (WHO)  is projecting that by 2030 there will be a staggering deficit of 18 million med ical  professionals. The lack of innovation in medical profession training over the last 150 years  is an important driver of this crisis. 

ORamaVR, a Swiss deep-tech startup with R&D in Greece has been tackling this crisis since  it was founded in 20 20. ORamaVR provides immersive virtual reality solutions that allow  training of medical professionals more efficiently and on a large r scale . 

Clinical studies have proven that medical VR training improves patient outcomes. However,  the creation of medical VR training modules is traditionally very costly and time consuming.  

ORamaVR has solved this problem. Using its proprietary authoring tools, ORamaVR’s and  its clients can create high quality medical training modules faster and more resource  efficient, but at a lowe r cost to the client and health care system. 

ORamaVR recently raised 2.4M EUR in post-seed funding through non -dilutive and  convertible note financing , led by the European Union NextGenerationEU and HorizonEurope programmes, as well as the Geneva Foundation for Technology Innovation  (Fongit) and FORTH-ICS . 

T he funds will support ORamaVR in tackling the crisis by accelerating the worlds’ transition  to medical virtual reality training . 

ORamaVR announces the appointment of Craig Patterson as a new board member. Craig  Patterson is currently the CFO of Celero Systems and has over 25 years experience in the  medical device sector. 

The company is supported by Fongit, where interested parties can contact for partnerships  and collaborations.  

More about ORamaVR:  

ORamaVR was created to tackle a major health crisis that is currently affecting almost 5 billion people globally: the lack of  access to affordable surgical care. We aim to accelerate the world’s transition to medical VR training by democratizing the VR  metaverse content creation and offering a low-code authoring platform (MAGES-SDK) to medical organisations, enabling the  mass production of high fidelity medical Virtual Reality Simulations at 1/8th of cost and time against current practices. These  medical VR training simulations are utilized by hospitals, medical device companies, medical schools and medical training  centres to train and assess their medical professionals on current and new surgical, diagnostic or therapeutic techniques. 

Media Contact :  

Amalia Kargopoulou 

Head of Business Development, ORamaVR  

Email: amalia.kargopoulou@oramavr.com

Immersal launches AR solution for Horse Racing Tracks

(Helsinki, Finland & Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 10 October 2022) Immersal Oy, part of Hexagon,   today at GITEX in Dubai announced the launch of its augmented reality (AR) solution for horse racing tracks. The solution will work on horse racing tracks anywhere and enhance the visitor experience at the track.

Visitors at the track can use AR through their mobile devices or AR glasses, for example, to navigate to their seats at the stand, view real-time statistics or information concerning the races and individual horses, or enjoy 3D entertainment. Immersal’s AR capabilities will be incorporated in the racing track’s own app.

AR experiences in sport events, theme parks, public spaces like shopping malls or airports can enrich the experience. They can be helpful and engaging while also offering shopping and other business opportunities. This is typically implemented with 5G, either private or public. (Multi-access edge computing) MEC servers can ensure immediate response times of the AR content. For Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Immersal’s app is a great opportunity to showcase the value of 5G in use.

Immersal already introduced a similar solution for stadiums and piloted it together with several operators around the world, including Rakuten in Japan.

In June 2022, Immersal introduced a personal metaverse app — a revolutionary way to create, share and experience the metaverse. The Immersal app is an easy and fun way to merge the physical with the digital seamlessly into one immersive experience. This functionality can be integrated into both stadium and horse racing solutions.

Dear Vrara​​​​​​​​,

Below, you will find the latest press release from Immersal Oy, part of Hexagon. The company has launched its augmented reality (AR) solution for horse racing tracks. 

Please consider sharing this information with your readers, listeners or viewers. 

Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or if you require additional information.

Best,

Päivi Laakso-Kuivalainen

Press Release

Immersal launches AR solution for Horse Racing Tracks

(Helsinki, Finland & Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 10 October 2022) Immersal Oy, part of Hexagon,   today at GITEX in Dubai announced the launch of its augmented reality (AR) solution for horse racing tracks. The solution will work on horse racing tracks anywhere and enhance the visitor experience at the track.

Visitors at the track can use AR through their mobile devices or AR glasses, for example, to navigate to their seats at the stand, view real-time statistics or information concerning the races and individual horses, or enjoy 3D entertainment. Immersal’s AR capabilities will be incorporated in the racing track’s own app.

AR experiences in sport events, theme parks, public spaces like shopping malls or airports can enrich the experience. They can be helpful and engaging while also offering shopping and other business opportunities. This is typically implemented with 5G, either private or public. (Multi-access edge computing) MEC servers can ensure immediate response times of the AR content. For Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Immersal’s app is a great opportunity to showcase the value of 5G in use.

Immersal already introduced a similar solution for stadiums and piloted it together with several operators around the world, including Rakuten in Japan.

In June 2022, Immersal introduced a personal metaverse app — a revolutionary way to create, share and experience the metaverse. The Immersal app is an easy and fun way to merge the physical with the digital seamlessly into one immersive experience. This functionality can be integrated into both stadium and horse racing solutions.

“Combining the low latency and high throughput of 5G with our Visual Positioning solution, we can deliver real-time insights to the spectators in high quality. By providing statistics on the horses and the individual races as well as entertainment like 3D animations, the race organiser can offer an enhanced experience simultaneously to thousands of viewers. This is something unseen at the race tracks before,” says Anttoni Vesterinen, CEO of Immersal. 

About Immersal
Immersal is building world-leading spatial mapping and visual positioning tools – the foundation of the metaverse. Founded in 2015, Immersal’s team is based in Helsinki, Finland, and working with partners, developers and creators across the globe to reimagine how we explore, interact and create. The company was acquired by Hexagon in 2021 and continues to pursue the vision of a metaverse built and experienced by everyone on any device.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 23,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 4.3bn EUR. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow us @HexagonAB.

Contact

For related images, videos or additional information please contact:

Päivi Laakso-Kuivalainen, CMO, Immersal Oy, +358 40 757 29 27 paivi.laaksokuivalainen@immersal.com

Mojo Vision, Adidas Address AR Contact Lenses at IGS 2022 Europe

Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rory Greener.

Our next Summit is in Miami Dec 5-7 Apply to Speak, Exhibit, Sponsor and Get Tickets here http://immerseglobalsummit.com

On Friday, Nathan Pettyjohn, CEO of the Immerse Growth Network and the (Virtual and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA), hosted a panel on the potential benefits of using AR smart contact lenses during sports as well as emerging safety concerns.

Eric Johnsen, VP of Business Development at Mojo Vision, a company developing smart AR contact lenses and Robert Hellwagner, Director of Product Innovation Adidas Runtastic, joined the panel to provide expert insights.

Speakers discussed use cases for Mojo Vision’s unique immersive wearable, focusing on immersive navigation for outdoor sports. The firm partnered with Adidas to discover the best opportunities for professional athletes and consumers.

Johnson explained that Mojo Vision wants to present information to a wearer during an activity. He noted how people already use smartphones to access information about their chosen sport, like looking at a digital map or tracking calories burned after a workout. Mojo Vision is filling in the gap.

He added,

“It’s that during moment. It’s that during an activity, when you’re actually engaged in the sport, that’s where we’re missing the information we need and that’s the problem. That’s the part we want to solve is during moment”

Understanding User Saftey

The group immediately expressed the importance of the wearer’s safety when discussing real-world use cases. As Mojo Vision develops its AR contact lenses, the firm is working with Adidas to understand and solve potential risks.

Johnsen added,

“We’re the experts in the hardware. And Robert’s team are the experts in what users really want to do and what the use cases are”

Hellwagner stated safety was a big concern when creating AR navigational systems for outdoor use such as cycling, hiking, or running. He added that developers must consider the context around a user, including people and objects.

The Adidas executive continued, explaining that occlusion, the process of obstructing virtual assets behind real-world objects like street lights, was essential to AR application development and to keep people safe.

Johnson also said how his team developed an API and SDK containing primary user safety and privacy considerations. Mojo Vision ensures its lens is safe to wear by working closely with the US FDA regarding the regulatory process of producing contact lenses.

“It’s got batteries in it. It’s got a radio in it. It’s got a display that lights up and we’re working very, very hard to to ensure that that the lens is completely safe to wear and the FDA will hold us accountable to that”

The session took place at The VRARA’s Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe event, which took place from September 28 to 30 in Savoy Palace At Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal.

Magic Leap to Launch in 19 Countries, Exec Says

Post originally appearing in xrtoday.com by Demond Cureton.

AR tech firm Magic Leap is set to launch in 19 countries across the world, Lisa Watts, Vice President of Product Marketing and Developer Programs for Magic Leap announced at the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) 2022 Europe on Madeira Island, Portugal.

The high-level exec made the comments amid a major discussion panel with some of the world’s largest tech giants.

Watts was joined by Pearly Chen, Vice-President of HTC VIVE, Brian Vogelsang, Senior Director of Product Management for Qualcomm Technologies, and Maria Pace, Head of XR Hardware, Global Partnerships and Strategies for Google.

Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director of the Virtual and Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) moderated the panel.

Announcing the news, she said,

“It’s been a journey to get here. Magic Leap 2 stands on the shoulders of giants and the force of the entire industry”

She mentioned Magic Leap manufactures in Florida, United States, and that the industry realised the difficulty and complexity of producing such devices.

Watts broke the news amid a major discussion on extended hardware (XR) hardware and the key components of creating a stellar immersive device for enterprises and consumers.

Speaking to Kolo about how major tech firms could push immersive technologies for mass adoption, the four representatives responded with expertise from their respective industries.

Smaller, Lighter, Comfortable, Compelling

According to Chen, VR devices were getting “smaller, lighter, more compact, more comfortable, and more compelling” due to advancements in hardware development.

Headsets had shifted from focusing on outside-in and laser position tracking to “more inside-out, where you can be much more portable,” namely with all-in-one computing platforms.

Rapidly developing ecosystems were “fastly evolving and thriving,” Chen said, adding,

“Consumers are finding more reasons to engage with VR first, usually as entertainment to get in the door. But then, of course, we hear all great advocates for VR and immersive applications in enterprise training in productivity learning spaces, where people will start to have much more touch points with this amazing, life-changing technology”

From AR Games to Remote Guidance

Starting with mobile phones, AR technologies had gradually transitioned to head-worn devices, Watts explained while speaking to the panel on enterprise and consumer adoption of AR.

Explaining further, she said,

“I think that is something that is on everyone’s minds [is that] focusing on the enterprise is great for all of us, because we learned so much in high-intense environments that have a lot of demands. So those sorts of things are going to only help the consumer market at the end of the day, but you know what, we’re all forever grateful [for] Pokemon Go because that was really the breakthrough moment where we were like, ‘Oh, I can really see digital content in my real world space,'”

She added that work from companies such as Google, who worked with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces, would become “critical for us to be able to have a spectrum of experiences.”

Comfort is Key

Regarding the VR and AR side of the industry, Google’s Pace said that her company had “seen the areas of defence going back decades ago,” as it was a first adopter.

The COVID-19 pandemic also fuelled a surge in its adoption for enterprise use cases, which showcased its “productivity, efficiency, [and] even safety as well.”

Form factors were becoming thinner and would continue to do so going forward leading to greater levels of vision, vestibular, and social comfort, Pace explained. She added immersion rates would require “realistic experiences” to boost presence, namely amid the pandemic.

Hardware required comfortable wearables that improved weight, size, thermals, and other components. Visual comfort involved “reducing a lot of the parasitic [related to] ghosting or even light leakage.”

Components of Great XR Devices

The Santa Clara, California-based firm had a unique position many tech companies depended on its components “multiple years before the devices reach the market,” requiring it to plan two to three years in advance, Vogelsang noted.

Trends in XR noted by the tech giant included smaller VR headsets using new optics systems such as pancake optics, he explained.

Blueprint sensors used to track lips and eyes, as well as smaller form factor controllers from firms such as Magic Leap also incorporated small cameras for hand tracking, boosting the device’s six degrees of freedom (6DoF) capabilities.

New MR technologies included red, green, and blue (RGB) cameras for enabling passthrough on headsets with forward-facing cameras, allowing AR overlays on real-world visuals.

Continuing, the executive told the audience,

“I think that’s where we’ll see lots more experimentation. Some of the challenges that we have in the augmented world, like a reduced field of view, can be resolved with that, but it also introduces new latencies because now you’re viewing the real world through a display, similar to your smartphone’s AR, but it’s on your head”

He concluded that Magic Leap’s Puck module was trending, which the devicemaker tethered to headsets to significantly offload processing, but also smartphones were playing an increasing role in tethered interactions with headset devices to reduce form factors similarly.

He said,

“If you look at the Lenovo A3, then there’s a trend to obviously get these [devices] smaller and lighter weight.”

The IGS 2022 Europe concluded on Friday with a massive lineup of conversations, panel talks, keynote speeches, and product demonstrations at the Savoy Theatre, where the global tech community rallied to highlight the top trends taking shape across the sector.

A future IGS 2022 event is set to take place in Miami from 5 to 7 December, leading to one of the world’s largest platforms for immersive technologies to gather and network for the future of the Metaverse.